Support in Silence
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day three hundred and forty-nine: She's not with them but she is nearby...


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 16th cycle. Now cycle 17!_

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**"Support in Silence"  
Emma **

On their last competition, she had been right there with them, helping them through the mess of what had happened to them. She'd claimed it as being for the kids, even if it had a whole lot more to do with how she felt for Will, and in the end it was for them, too. She'd been so proud to have been part of it, even if they'd lost.

She wanted to be there for Regionals as well, to continue following and guiding them in their journey, supporting them… But then a lot had changed, between Sectionals and Regionals; a lot had changed between her and Will. But just like the first time, it was about more than her feelings for Will; it was about the kids. She couldn't be there for them directly, too complicated, but she could be there indirectly.

She arrived at the auditorium after a frenzied drive. She hadn't decided to go, not until that morning. She had to hurry and make sure she arrived before it was too late. It was a photo finish… Soon the emcee was on stage and introducing the judges. She swore her jaw unhinged three times, each more pronounced, as she saw the judges. She didn't know what to make of them. Sue was a danger item for sure, but surely Groban and Newton-John would be fine, right?

The first group… She had to hold her lips firmly shut, tight fists in her lap, so not to lose it. That just wasn't right, sucking up that way… What was the point except to go for the cheap and easy shot? Well with a name like that… She just shook her head.

They were second up, oh… She sat up, feeling her breaths shorten. The music started, and it was like a blast from the past… Only this time it was Rachel and Finn coming from the back of the house. It was so good to see them like this… and doing Journey, of course. She truly believed it was good for both of them, this connection they had to each other. They both needed so much that they hadn't gotten anywhere else… heaven knew they both had their shortcomings. But then they could level off when they were together, so eventually who knew what they could become?

And then the curtain… There they all were, and her hand pressed to her heart. It always made her so emotional, seeing them, together up there. By most ideas of who they were, they didn't belong as any kind of unit, all twelve of them. But then you put them up there and something magical happened. How anyone could not see it was beyond her.

It didn't take much time for her to be pulled in to the energy of their Journey medley. Really, Will had chosen wisely… it was a journey. It was long and difficult, sometimes painful, and yet there they all were. For all the wear and tear, they had also managed to grow. They were not those same people from the previous fall, that was for certain. She still had all the admiration she had for Will as an educator. Things may not have been running smooth with them, but that affected no part of her views on what his work was doing for those kids.

When their last song ended, she was on her feet and cheering the loudest in her section. She paid no attention to the glances she got from those seated around her.

She finally sat though, as she remembered what came next… Vocal Adrenaline. This was where their chances would take a blow. If it was up to her, even if she didn't know them personally, she would still choose New Directions any day, but she knew what the judges would focus on. They wouldn't see New Directions' passion and struggle, their innate talent… No, they'd see Vocal Adrenaline's military-precision, clear cut routine. Of course, it was impressive; the whole act worked on their ability to stun the audience. Maybe they'd call her soft, but she just looked for something more than that.

Now there they came, led by Jesse… She should have seen something wasn't right with him from the start. In the end maybe his reasons weren't completely what they might have thought they were, but it didn't change the fact that it had all caused some hurt, to none more than Rachel. He was back with 'his people' now, but part of Emma felt like, no matter what anyone would say, being with New Directions, in that environment, it had changed him.

When Vocal Adrenaline finished its set, as expected, the applause had broken out, as loud as she'd been, only throughout the auditorium… Now she felt small… like defeat was lurking.

And shortly thereafter, defeat was officially handed down. More than that, it wasn't just about a competition to them, it was their very existence as a club. She knew the conditions, she knew what this result would mean. All at once, she was heartbroken and infuriated. She could see how letdown they all were… They'd all worked so hard but it hadn't mattered… No, she wasn't going to stand for it. She'd go to Figgins, and she'd make him see what a mistake he was making. She saw Glee Club as family, and once upon a time she was let into that family. If they saw her as one of them, just as she did, then she wouldn't let them down.

THE END

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**_[A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, story alert won't get you anything! ;)]_**


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